What is

(a.k.a. Community Paramedicine)

The provision of healthcare using patient-centered, mobile resources in the out-of-hospital environment in a coordinated manner with physicians, hospitals, and other providers.

It encompasses a myriad of potential expanded roles of EMT’s, Paramedics, and EMS systems, as well as collaborations with other types of providers, to provide higher quality patient-centered care and helping to prevent emergencies before they begin.

Statement of Need

• Current role of EMS is limited to transporting all patients to emergency departments.
• Significant percentage of EMS calls and ED visits are for non-urgent conditions.
• This paradigm is costly to healthcare systems and not patient-centered.
• Health Systems are facing new incentives to reduce admissions for ambulatory sensitive conditions through coordination of care as a part of health care reform.

Background
• Out-of-Hospital Care (a.k.a EMS) Systems are increasingly sophisticated and capable of providing a wide variety of treatments.
• Telemedicine capabilities are robust, widely available and increasingly affordable.
• Health Care delivery system reform is gaining momentum. Organizations are seeking innovative care models to improve health, improve quality and lower cost.
• The most vulnerable patients are already being transported by EMS to and from the hospital.

Community Paramedicine
• An umbrella term describing all of the potential innovative and expanded roles that EMS can perform for our healthcare system.
• Different for every system and geographical area.
• Flexible to fill needs not being met by existing health care resources.
• Leverages existing underutilized community resources to improve healthcare delivery.

What could it do for New York?
• Reduce the strain on EMS and ED resources
• Improve the quality and coordination of care provided to the public
• Fill some of the gaps in the existing healthcare system and prevent readmissions.
• Increase the value that Out-of-Hospital Care (EMS) provides to society

Host a Meeting in Your Region!

We are looking to encourage each of the existing 18 regions in NYS to hold "interest" meetings to recruit new members and organize efforts around making community paramedicine a reality in our state. Whether or not you are affiliated with the local REMAC/REMSCO, consider putting together a meeting at the local hospital, EMS station, or even at a town hall or community center.

The NY Mobile Integrated Healthcare Association will be happy to send a representative, presentation materials and handouts, or to simply help promote the meeting as best as possible.